The road of a champion - PLEASE READ AND COMMENT

Okey hi everyone i'm Erik and i'm from sweden. I've been playing tennis since i was 8-9 and today i'm reaching the age of 18 in 2 months. So i have been playing in around 9 years. I'm playing in a tennis highschool in sweden and i guess im pretty good (there are better peoples though lol).
But the dream of that atp match nadal did when he was 16 is kinda blow'd away lol.
I guess i just need someone to say that i really can go to the pro level one day. Is it just extremly hard training that takes you there? Or is there anything else too?
Cause my mind is 100% and my attitude is not like everyone elses around me, i don't want to get that work at that office sitting there and dreaming what i could have been one day.
I really want to get to the atp's one day.. But when i see all those 1993's and 1994's that are BETTER then me, they kinda rip my dream appart.
I don't really know what to belive in (i'm 1991). Is 2 or 3 years really that much of a deal later when you play in the men's class and do you really have to be one of the best in your country at the 16-18 years age to ever reach the pro's?
I've heard 18-20 are going to be the time of your life, but all i'm think about is that i might be to old (late) to go tennis pro.
So my question, (honest) Is it too late?

/ Erik

EDIT: I'm sorry if this is in a wrong topic but i didn't think of any other topic it could fit into.

Okey hi everyone i'm Erik and i'm from sweden. I've been playing tennis since i was 8-9 and today i'm reaching the age of 18 in 2 months. So i have been playing in around 9 years. I'm playing in a tennis highschool in sweden and i guess im pretty good (there are better peoples though lol).
But the dream of that atp match nadal did when he was 16 is kinda blow'd away lol.
I guess i just need someone to say that i really can go to the pro level one day. Is it just extremly hard training that takes you there? Or is there anything else too?
Cause my mind is 100% and my attitude is not like everyone elses around me, i don't want to get that work at that office sitting there and dreaming what i could have been one day.
I really want to get to the atp's one day.. But when i see all those 1993's and 1994's that are BETTER then me, they kinda rip my dream appart.
I don't really know what to belive in (i'm 1991). Is 2 or 3 years really that much of a deal later when you play in the men's class and do you really have to be one of the best in your country at the 16-18 years age to ever reach the pro's?
I've heard 18-20 are going to be the time of your life, but all i'm think about is that i might be to old (late) to go tennis pro.
So my question, (honest) Is it too late?

/ Erik

EDIT: I'm sorry if this is in a wrong topic but i didn't think of any other topic it could fit into.

Train, train, train. If you have weaknesses, work on them. When you play matches, play them to develop your game and weapons and not to just go out there and win a match. Practice matches are meant to help one work on a part of their game. I watch too many players go out there and just play a meaningless match so that they can win it. That won't work. Practice matches should be used to develop something, whether it be a weapon or tactics, or whatever. Age means nothing, especially at your age.

Train, train, train. If you have weaknesses, work on them. When you play matches, play them to develop your game and weapons and not to just go out there and win a match. Practice matches are meant to help one work on a part of their game. I watch too many players go out there and just play a meaningless match so that they can win it. That won't work. Practice matches should be used to develop something, whether it be a weapon or tactics, or whatever. Age means nothing, especially at your age.

Okey man! Thanks, feel free to comment you other peoples if you got something to say:P.

good topic Erik. i wish i would've started playing tennis at the age of 8 or 9. because you did start so early i feel you have a shot. my only concern is that you say that you don't want to end up in an office like everyone. i don't believe you can get there with that objective. you need to passionate about the game. when you step on the court you become anxious to hit a ball, and then when it's time leave, you still feel like hitting around. if you have that kind of passion combineded with perseverance, you will be on the right track. so what im saying is dig deep down inside and see if it really is in you. look for the fight - a 99% effort won't get you there. Tennisking1 was in the ATP for a couple years so you know he's talking from experience.

good topic Erik. i wish i would've started playing tennis at the age of 8 or 9. because you did start so early i feel you have a shot. my only concern is that you say that you don't want to end up in an office like everyone. i don't believe you can get there with that objective. you need to passionate about the game. when you step on the court you become anxious to hit a ball, and then when it's time leave, you still feel like hitting around. if you have that kind of passion combineded with perseverance, you will be on the right track. so what im saying is dig deep down inside and see if it really is in you. look for the fight - a 99% effort won't get you there. Tennisking1 was in the ATP for a couple years so you know he's talking from experience.

Nice answer there LT. It really is all about the passion to play. Erik, if you know that others are better, find out what they do that makes them better and practice that way. If your serve is weak, work on it. Same with the return. Train every stroke like you want it to be a weapon. Work hard on your consistency and your stamina as well. When you get bored with the normal foot drills, get out there and play soccer or basketball. Both make you quicker and build your stamina tremendously. I turned pro at 20 years old. I played for three years on the tour and got a decent ranking. Some people would say that 20 is old and some would say otherwise. Patrick Rafter wasn't a young buck when he broke through either.

Thanks for some really good answers guys, means alot to me. I hope i'll get there one day like you did tennisking1, and i will really fight to get there.
If you don't mind me asking, when you played at that level, where you able to live on tennis, i mean make some money out of it or did you have another work?
Do you have to be like top 100 to make money on tennis?

Thanks for some really good answers guys, means alot to me. I hope i'll get there one day like you did tennisking1, and i will really fight to get there.
If you don't mind me asking, when you played at that level, where you able to live on tennis, i mean make some money out of it or did you have another work?
Do you have to be like top 100 to make money on tennis?

if you're in the top 100, you're making some real money.. probably $200k/year as the 100th ranked player. that definitely seems unfair if you consider that the 10th ranked player makes probably 15 times that amount with sponsors.

if you're in the top 100, you're making some real money.. probably $200k/year as the 100th ranked player. that definitely seems unfair if you consider that the 10th ranked player makes probably 15 times that amount with sponsors.

Okey well, but what if you're like top 2000? Is it possible to make money on tennis with that ranking? I'm sorry lol, but i don't really know how it works.
Let's say you are tennis player with a ranking on 1600 in the world? Do you only get money from the compitions that you win? Or do you get an income from somewhere else? How does it work?
Thanks for answers:P!

Okey well, but what if you're like top 2000? Is it possible to make money on tennis with that ranking? I'm sorry lol, but i don't really know how it works.
Let's say you are tennis player with a ranking on 1600 in the world? Do you only get money from the compitions that you win? Or do you get an income from somewhere else? How does it work?
Thanks for answers:P!

I played from 1992-1995 and reached 328 and hovered around 400 for most of those years. I didn't make much money, buy you can go to clubs and do exhibitions, get sponsors, and teach lessons to make some money. Best way to do it is to get sponsors and teach lessons. Plus, being in Europe, you will be able to drive to many tournaments and find practice partners and people to stay with. It's tough, but its fun. If you ever make it over here, give me a yell. I'll be glad to hit with you.

Heck, I'll hit with anyone. I've been doing some serious searching for a good coaching job. Hopefully something will turn up. If I can find something, I'll let you know where I am and you are more than welcome to visit. Any of you club owners or academies out there looking for a coach, let me know! No more desk for me!

Well, Really I think it'd be better if you didn't look at it from that perspective.
you'll just be putting more preasurre on yourself.
just train as much as you can, have someone (prefferably your coach) watch you play and have them tell you places to improve, go to the gym as often as you can.
and as for those people who you think are better then you, you can't always be the best. you can only give it your best..